Fish hook locator-extractor

ABSTRACT

A fish hook locator-extractor for locating and extracting a fish hook that has been swallowed by a fish comprises an elongated shank having a rounded pear-shaped handle at one end. The opposite end portion of the shank is hollow and terminates in a plurality of longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced rounded projections separated by sharp V-shaped recesses. A longitudinal slot opens into said hollow in alignment with one of said recesses and a groove extends longitudinally along the shank from the slot to and over the end of the handle. A removable cross bar extends through a transverse bore in the handle portion.

United States Patent Wehmeyer [451 June 20, 1972 [s4] FISH HookLOCATOR-EXTRACTOR Primary Examiner-Samuel Koren AssistantExaminer-Daniel J. Leach Attorney-Robert E. Burns and Emmanuel J. Lobato[5 7] ABSTRACT A sh hook locator-extractor for locating and extracting afish hook that has been swallowed by a fish comprises an elongated shankhaving a rounded pear-shaped handle at one end. The opposite end portionof the shank is hollow and terminates in a plurality of longitudinallyextending, circumferentially spaced rounded projections separated bysharp V- shaped recesses. A longitudinal slot opens into said hollow inalignment with one of said recesses and a groove extends longitudinallyalong the shank from the slot to and over the end of the handle. Aremovable cross bar extends through a transverse bore in the handleportion.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures FrsH HooK LoCAToR-EXTRACTOR The presentinvention relates to a fish hook locator-extractor for locating andextracting a fish hook that has been swallowed by a fish.

When a fish has been caught on a line, it is necessary to remove thehook. Moreover, if the fish is to be thrown back or is to be kept alivein a holding tank, the hook must be removed carefully to avoid injuringthe fish. This is always difficult because the fish is wet, slippery andwiggling and a barbed hook is not easily removed. Moreover, when a fishtakes the bait, it frequently swallows both the bait and the hook sothat the hook becomes deeply imbedded in the throat, or even in thestomach, of the fish, It is then impossible to see the hook andextremely difficult to locate it. The removal of a deeply embedded hookis quite impossible without a suitable instrument.

A number of disgorgers and other devices have been previously proposedfor removing fish hooks from fish while the fish are still alive.However, they have been impractical in that they are difficult and evendangerous to use and, moreover, cause serious damage to the fish. Theyhave hence not come into wide use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fish hook locatorand extractor which is easy and safe to use even by an inexperiencedperson and is highly effective in locating and removing a fish hookwithout injury to the fish, even when the hook is lodged deeply in thethroat or stomach of the fish. Moreover, the fish hook locator-extractorin accordance with the invention is of simple construction which isinexpensive to manufacture, free of movable parts which might get out oforder, highly durable and completely sanitary. It is of a shape and sizethat can be readily stored in a tackle box or can be suspended by a ringor their simple fixture at convenient places on a boat or dock so thatit is always ready for use.

The nature and advantages of the fish hook locator-extractor inaccordance with the invention will be more fully understood from thefollowing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich a preferred embodiment is illustrated by way of non-limitingexample. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a fish hook locator-extractor in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view taken at 90 from FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 in FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a side view of an end portion taken at an angle of 45 to theview shown in FIG. l; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross-sections taken respectively on the lines 5-5 and6-6 in FIG. 1.

As illustrated in the drawings, a fish hook locator and extractorcomprises an elongated shank portion which is preferably of circularcross-section. At one end of the shank 10 there is an enlargedpear-shaped handle portion l1 having a smooth rounded end 11a. Theenlarged handle tapers smoothly into the shank portion 10. The largerportion of the handle is grooved or otherwise patterned so as to providea non-slip hand-grip portion 1lb. As illustrated by way of example inthe drawings, the handgrip portion has a plurality of circumferentialgrooves alternating with rounded ridges. The locator-extractor canthereby be held firmly and securely in the hand even when it is wet.

An end portion 10a of the shank 10 opposite the handle l1 is of tubularcross-section with an internal cylindrical hollow or cavity l2. Thelength of the hollow portion 10a is preferably about one-fourth toone-half of the overall length of the instrument. The internal diameterof the hollow portion is about two-fifths to three-fifths of theexternal diameter. For example, if the outside diameter of the shank isapproximately five-eights inch, the inside diameter may be approximatelythree-eights inch. With a locator-extractor of the order of lO incheslong, the length of the hollow portion may, for example, be about 4inches. The diameter of the largest portion of the handle may be about1% inches.

At the end of the hollow portion 10a, there are a plurality oflongitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced projections 13separated by sharp V-shaped recesses or notches 14. The ends of theprojections 13 are rounded, as clearly seen in FIG. 4, so that when thelocator-extractor is inserted into the throat of a sh, as will bedescribed below, it enters smoothly without injuring the fish. The depthof the notches 14 is greater than the outside diameter of the shank 10.In an instrument of the size shown in the drawings, the notches 14 may,for example, be three-fourths inch to 1 inch deep. As seen in FIGS. 1and 2, the side edges of the notches 14 are beveled outwardly, so thatthey intersect in a line that is inclined outwardly toward the handle,as seen in FIG. 3. The number of projections 13 and corresponding numberof notches or recesses 14 is at least three and preferably not more thanfive. In the example shown in the drawings, there are four projections.

A longitudinally extending slot 15 provided in the wall of the hollowportion 10a in line with one of lthe recesses 14 opens into the hollow12. The slot 15 is just sufficiently wide to admit the shank and eye ofa fish hook with an attached line. In line with the slot 15 and forminga continuation thereof, there is a groove 16 which extendslongitudinally to and over the end of the handle portion 1l, terminatingat a point 16a on the opposite side of the handle. The portion lb of thegroove 16 in the handle portion ll is deeper than the portion 16e` inthe shank 10 so that a fishline L extending from a hook H, as shown inFIG. 3, will extend in a straight line and will lie in the groove 16throughout its length. As seen in FIG. 3, the line L extends in thegroove over the end of the handle and out of the end portion 16a of thegroove. A portion 16d of the groove approaching the hollow 12 ischamfered, as seen in FIG. 3, so that it enters the bottom 12a of thehollow 12 at about the center of the shank portion. The width of theslot l5 and groove 16 in an instrument of the size illustrated in thedrawings is ofthe order of one-sixteenth inch.

A tapered bore 17 extending transversely through the larger portion ofthe handle 1l receives a tapered cross bar 18 which is removablyinserted in the bore, as seen in FIGS. l, 2 and 3. The diameter andtaper of the cross bar correspond to the diameter and taper of the boreso that when the cross bar is inserted it will be held nnly in place byfriction and yet be readily removable. An integral radially projectingring 18a on the cross bar prevents the cross bar from being insertedinto the bore of the handle so tightly as to be difficult to remove. Thelength of the cross bar in an instrument of the size illustrated in thedrawings may, for example, be of the order of 4 to 5 inches and itsdiameter may be of the order of one-half inch with suitable taper. Thecross bar is readily removed so that the locator-extractor may be storedmore easily in a tackle box. On the other hand, when the cross bar is inplace, it provides a convenient means for suspending thelocator-extractor by means of a ring, loop of line or other suitablefitting at a convenient location on a boat or fishing wharf.

In use, the hollow end portion of the locator-extractor in accordancewith the invention is inserted into the mouth and throat of the fishwith the fishline entering through the slot 15 into the hollow 12 so asto guide the instrument to the fish hook. When the instrument engagesthe fish hook, the hook slips into one or another of the recesses 14, asillustrated in FIG. 3. To facilitate entry of the hook into a recess,the locator-extractor may be turned back and forth slightly as it isinserted into the throat of the fish. When the locator-extractor hasengaged the hook, it is pushed in a little harder so as to disengage thehook from the tissues of the fishs throat in which it has been embedded.The point of the hook will thereupon lie in the bottom of one of theV-shaped recesses 14, as seen in FIG. 3. The locator-extractor is thendrawn out, bringing the hook with it. To assure that the hook remainsproperly engaged in one of the recesses at the hollow end of thelocatorextractor, the fishline is brought over the end of the handleportion 11 in the groove 16, as seen in FIG. 3, and can be gripped alongwith the handle so as to be held taut. Moreover, if desired, the line,after passing over the end of the handle portion in the groove 16, maybe given one or more turns around the cross bar 18 so as to hold itstill more securely. Since the point of the hook lies in one of therecesses 14, the hook can be withdrawn without injury to the fish. Itwill be seen that the barb of the hook is in effect sheathed in therecess 14.

The locator-extractor in accordance with the invention can be made ofany suitable material such as wood or plastic which is hard and durableand impervious to water. Preferably, the material has a specific gravityless than 1 so that the locatorextractor will float if it isaccidentally dropped in the water. The one-piece construction and thesmooth contour of the locator-extractor not only gives it a neat andpleasing appearance but also makes it easy to keep the instrument cleanand sanitary.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated inthe drawings and is herein particularly described, it will be understoodthat the invention is in no way limited to the illustrated example.

What I claim is:

l. A fish hook locator-extractor for locating and extracting a fish hookthat has been swallowed by a fish, comprising an elongated shank and ahandle portion at one end of said shank, an end portion of said shank atthe end opposite said handle portion being hollow with a longitudinalslot opening into said hollow, said opposite end portion terminating ina plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spacedprojections with sharp V-shaped recesses between said projections, saidslot opening into one of said recesses, a fish line attached to a hookthat has been swallowed by a sh being received through said slot intosaid hollow to guide said locator-extractor to said hook, and said hookbeing received and llodged in one of said recesses whereby it isdisengaged from the tissues of said fish by inward movement of saidlocator-ex tractor and is thus withdrawn with said locator-extractorfrom the throat of said fish.

2. A sh hook locator-extractor according to claim l, in which edges ofsaid recesses are bevelled and meet at the point of said recess in asharp V that slopes outwardly and toward said handle portion.

3. A fish hook locator-extractor according to claim 2, in which the endsof said projections are rounded.

4. A fish hook locator-extractor according to claim 3, in which thereare at least three and not more than four said projections.

5. A fish hook locator-extractor according to claim 3, in which a grooveextends longitudinally along said shank from said slot to said handleportion, said groove being of a size to receive a fish line.

6. A fish hook locator-extractor according to claim 5, in which saidgroove increases progressively in depth as it approaches the bottom ofsaid hollow to provide a chamferred entrance into said hollow.

7. A fish hook locator-extractor according to claim l, in which saidhandle portion is larger than said shank and is approximatelypear-shaped.

8. A fish hook locator-extractor according to claim 7, in which saidhandle portion is circumscribed by a plurality of grooves providing agrip surface.

9. A fish hook locator-extractor according to claim 7, in which a grooveextends longitudinally along said shank from said slot to and over theend of said handle portion, terminating on the opposite side of saidhandle portion.

l0. A fish hook locator-extractor according to claim 7, in which saidhandle has a bore extending transversely therethrough and a cross bar isremovably received in and extends through said bore.

1. A fish hook locator-extractor for locating and extracting a fish hookthat has been swallowed by a fish, comprising an elongated shank and ahandle portion at one end of said shank, an end portion of said shank atthe end opposite said handle portion being hollow with a longitudinalslot opening into said hollow, said opposite end portion terminating ina plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spacedprojections with sharp V-shaped recesses between said projections, saidslot opening into one of said recesses, a fish line attached to a hookthat has been swallowed by a fish being received through said slot intosaid hollow to guide said locator-extractor to said hook, and said hookbeing received and lodged in one of said recesses whereby it isdisengaged from the tissues of said fish by inward movement of saidlocator-extractor and is thus withdrawn with said locator-extractor fromthe throat of said fish.
 2. A fish hook locator-extractor according toclaim 1, in which edges of said recesses are bevelled and meet at thepoint of said recess in a sharp V that slopes outwardly and toward saidhandle portion.
 3. A fish hook locator-extractor according to claim 2,in which the ends of said projections are rounded.
 4. A fish hooklocator-extractor according to claim 3, in which there are at leastthree and not more than four said projections.
 5. A fish hooklocator-extractor according to claim 3, in which a groove extendslongitudinally along said shank from said slot to said handle portion,said groove being of a size to receive a fish line.
 6. A fish hooklocator-extractor according to claim 5, in which said groove increasesprogressively in depth as it approaches the bottom of said hollow toprovide a chamferred entrance into said hollow.
 7. A fish hooklocator-extractor according to claim 1, in which said handle portion islarger than said shank and is approximately pear-shaped.
 8. A fish hooklocator-extractor according to claim 7, in which said handle portion iscircumscribed by a plurality of grooves providing a grip surface.
 9. Afish hook locator-extractor according to claim 7, in which a grooveextends longitudinally along said shank from said slot to and over theend of said handle portion, terminating on the opposite side of saidhandle portion.
 10. A fish hook locator-extractor according to claim 7,in which said handle has a bore extending transversely therethrough anda cross bar is removably received in and extends through said bore.